Have you ever thought about turning your career into your hobby? For Nechama Liss-Levinson, it wasn’t a choice.
A practicing child psychologist and psychoanalyst for 30 years, Nechama Liss-Levinson has written dozens of articles on developmental milestones in the Jewish family. She has also channelled her passion for her work, her faith and writing to pen five children’s books to help kids understand and handle difficult situations.
“In psychotherapy you touch one life at a time, but if it is in writing you can reach more lives,” Liss-Levinson explained.
Her latest novel, “When The Hurricane Came,” is a critically acclaimed book based on the author’s personal experiences that tells the story of nine-year-old Gertie and her family who are forced out of their New Orleans home as Hurricane Katrina is about to strike.
A contemporary Jewish-American novel, “When The Hurricane Came” explains to young readers why bad things happen to good people.
Critics have called the book “excellent” and The Kirkus Review touted the characters as “charming” and “captivating.”
The book also earned Liss-Levison the prestigious Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award by the Association of Jewish Libraries. And now she is up for her biggest honor yet.
“When The Hurricane Came” is a National Jewish Book Awards finalist. The event, held at the Center for Jewish History in New York City, honors writers in 18 categories. Past winners include “Night” author Elie Wiesel.
“I’m very humbled by it,” Liss-Levison said of the nomination. “I hope it will put [the book] in the public eye so more children have the chance to read it.”
The 2012 winners will be presented at the 62nd Annual National Jewish Book Awards ceremony on Thursday, March 14.
The idea for “When The Hurricane Came” is based on Liss-Levinson’s personal experiences. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, she traveled to the storm-ravage city twice to aid with the recovery.
She said she helped rebuild homes on her first mission, but for the second, she got her hometown involved by partnering with the Great Neck Synagogue to put together an intergenerational mission.
A team of 25 Great Neck residents, of all ages, arrived in New Orleans offering medical supplies, books and even home-cooked meals.
“For me, it was an inspiration after the two missions,” Liss-Levison said. “I felt there was a story there about resilience.”
In the book, Gertie’s struggles give her an idea to make the world a better place.
The contest asks students in third through sixth grades what they would be to change the world.
“I hope the contest is an inspiration,” Liss-Levinson said. “It is a way to get children thinking about what they can do to change the world even at a small age. It’s empowering for people to realize they can do something.”
“When The Hurricane Came” is now available both in print and as an e-reader.
For more information about the Be The Change essay contest for the young writer in your life, visit www.whenthehurricanehit.com/”www.whenthehurricanehit.com.
